Reaching Out to Hungry and Destitute Children in Israel

Nothing is more heartbreaking than a child in need.

Tragically, there are nearly 1 million children in Israel who are living in poverty right now. Many have been orphaned or abandoned and are homeless.

IFCJ's Guardians of Israel program is working on their behalf to provide essentials to struggling children like food, clothing and medical care and also supporting a network of orphanages, schools and day care centers throughout the Holy Land.

Sarinaat from the village of Kfar Manda is one of the children in Israel whose future has been brightened thanks to the caring support of IFCJ donors. Sarinaat's father is abusive, and as a result she often got into fights with the other students as her unstable home life took its toll on her mind and body.

Finally, the Department of Welfare referred Sarinaat to the Fellowship House, an IFCJ-funded center where at-risk youth like her receive counseling, educational help, and a wide range of other special assistance.

The caring staff at the Fellowship House immediately provided Sarinaat with the love and attention she desperately needed. Sarinaat has made huge strides since coming to the Fellowship House. Her grades are better and her badly damaged self-image is steadily improving.

In Jerusalem, over half of the city's children live below the poverty line. Tragically, these children's needs are largely left unmet due to Israel's need to increase defense spending to protect her people against terrorism and prepare for the possibility of war.